Panther Nation Newsletter
October 22, 2021
Schedule Change!
Attention Parents and Families!!
Vandalism in Schools by Katie Larson
Vandalism and theft have been around in schools for a while. So have fads, trends, and the internet. Some trends are harmless, and can even be beneficial, but most are sources of bad influence. There have been many afflictions caused by social media in the past. Recently, a viral TikTok trend has encouraged students to take apart and steal school property. The trend, nicknamed the “devious lick” trend, which is slang for when a person successfully and easily steals or vandalizes property, has plagued schools across the country. Students in middle schools, high schools, and even colleges have decided to take part in the action. Some students steal napkins and utensil containers from cafeterias, while others target bathrooms where they steal hand soap dispensers and crack mirrors and flooring tiles. There have been some cases of toilets and urinals being dismantled, destroyed, and even stolen.
It has become a large enough problem for TikTok to ban the hashtag and many accounts that participated in the trend. When the name of the fad is looked upon TikTok, the app now gives a community guideline warning and directs users to the community guidelines page. Many of the videos and posts are no longer visible.
The trend has now reached Colorado, primarily Colorado Springs district 11 and Grand Junctions district 51. Palmer Ridge High School has experienced this first hand, and now thousands of dollars are needed for repairs. Many schools have started to take precautions. To prove that someone has successfully completed the trend, they must have photo or video evidence. Teachers have been encouraged to not allow students to take their cell phones into the bathrooms. Here at Woodland Park, bathroom sign-out sheets are to be filled out. To discourage and prevent bathroom vandalism, some teachers have opted to use their bathroom passes more and others have decided to not allow students to take their phones into the bathrooms.
Woodland Park High School
Email: slee@wpsdk12.org
Website: www.wpsdk12.org/wphs
Location: 151 Panther Way, Woodland Park, CO, USA
Phone: 719-686-2068